Dynamic Duos #15 and Mojo Monday 254 - Stampin' Up! Longfellows!!

Hello Stampin' friends

This week's challenge over at Dynamic Duos is Certainly Celery with Pretty in Pink.....now, this challenge has shown me that I'm not great with subtles....in fact.... I had to order in a mixed pack of Stampin' Up! subtles just to do the challenge....and even then I don't own any Pretty in Pink ink!!!! ..... Shocking really!! ;)

I decided to team the challenge with the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #254 ....

....and here's my card.....

...and a close up....

I am late sending out a couple of birthday cards, so I used 'Long Fellows' again....I know it's retired but it is perfect for belated cards.....and I added some glitter to his back to add some bling..... he's a disco turtle.... :)

Materials used:
Stamps - Long Fellows (retired)
Ink - Certainly Celery, Stazon
Cardstock - Watercolour Paper, Pretty in Pink CS, Very Vanilla CS, Certainly Celery from the Subtles Designer Series Paper stack.
Accessories - misc ribbon, Paper Daisy, SU Pearl, Champagne Stampin' Glitter from SU Fine Galaxy
Tools - Paper Cutter, SNAIL, Big Shot, Elegant Lines Embossing Folder, Paper Snips, Two Way Glue Pen, Aquapainter, Stazon cleaner, Boho Blossom Punch, Dimensionals. 

Stampin' Up! Long Fellows - ColourQ Colour Challenge #140

Hello!

Today's card is brought to you by the creative colours on offer at the ColourQ Colour Challenge #140. Here is the glorious colour palette....

...and here's my card...

I actually made 2 versions of this card....one for a very dear friend of mine who moved away some time ago and is working herself to the bone and didn't really get a chance to enjoy her birthday....and to top it all off I forgot to send her a card.....I am a 'bad friend'!! I phoned her though and we had a lovely long chat. I miss her dearly and I hope she gets through this tough period of work.

The 2nd card is for another Stampin' Up! demonstrator Rochelle Blok. Rochelle is on the Facebook page 'ESAD' which is a Stampin' Up! demonstrator-only group where we share stories, exchange ideas & offer advice to each other....it is a beautiful sisterhood of Stampin' Up! demonstrators and one of the many ways that we support one another and offer encouragement. One of the things that we do is send each other birthday cards, but I was so caught up in the Convention the other week that I forgot poor Rochelle's card.     

Given that both cards are for belated birthdays, I used the gorgeous image from the Stampin' Up! Long Fellows stamp set. Unfortunately, the set is retired....as it was a hostess set from the 2010-2011 catalogue....it enforces the fact that if you see hostess set in a catalogue, you'd better snap them up as they are often the best stamps in the catalogue and never-to-be-repeated. I love this set...I will never part with it!! :)

Take care & Happy Stampin'!!
Cheers
Alison xxxx

Materials used:
Stamps - Long Fellows
Ink - Lucky Limeade, Island Indigo, Tempting Turquoise, Stazon
Cardstock - Whisper White, Watercolour paper, Real Red, Lucky Limeade, Tempting Turquoise DSP from the Brights stack, Island Indigo
Accessories - 3/16" Real Red brads from the Brights Brads pack, Fine Galaxy Glitter (Champagne).
Tools - Two Way Glue Pen, Mat Pack, Aquapainter, Stazon cleaner, SNAIL, paper cutter, Dimensionals.      

Stampin' Up! Watercolouring

Hi everyone...(yes a third blog post today....a lot has been happening!)

I have been wanting to try watercolouring for a while now and my upline Alisa Tilsner is a complete genius at it. She said that aquapainters and watercolour paper are the way to go, so I ordered some and here's what I've come up with.

It really is a fun technique and not one to be afraid of. Stampin' Up! make it really easy....stamp your main image using Stazon black ink onto watercolour paper....then just take your inkpad(s) in your choice of colour(s), turn it upside-down and squeeze some ink into the lid....open up the ink pad and voila...you have an instant 'ink-well'. Dip your aquapainter in and away you go.....

There is a bit of trial and error but even the 'errors' can look like artistic genius. :)

I made this Christmas card for a work colleague....her family LOVE Dachshunds and she commissioned me to make a set of cards with a little doggie on the front, I used the now retired "Long Fellows" set....it is so cute!....and watercoloured the dog and gave him a Rudolph nose. :)

Materials used:
Stamp Sets: Long Fellows (retired), Snow Swirled (for sentiment)
Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Soft Suede, Early Espresso, Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake, Stazon
Cardstock: Watercolour paper, Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler
Accessories: Cherry Cobbler Scallop polka dot ribbon, pearl
Tools: Aquapainters, Stazon cleaner, Scallop Oval Punch, sticky strip, SNAIL adhesive

For my next creation, I was inspired by this card by my upline, Alisa Tilsner. Like I said before, she is the QUEEN of watercolouring and I had some retired Raspberry Tart DSP laying about so I thought I'd grab a birthday stamp and have another "watercolour go" using some of the new "IN COLORS"
See what I mean about Stampin' Up making watercolouring easy??! I've never done art in my life, and this actually looks like a little painting! I love it!!

Materials used:
Stamp Set: Birthday Bakery (retired)
Ink: Old Olive, Crumb Cake, Lucky Limeade, Calypso Coral, Melon Mambo, Rose Red
Cardstock: Old Olive (textured), Rose Red, Raspberry Tart DSP (retired), watercolour paper
Accessories: Rose Red Seam Binding Ribbon
Tools: Aquapainter, SNAIL


Oh, and you may ask "What's an upline?" An 'upline' is the Stampin' Up! Demonstrator that you sign up to to become a demonstrator yourself....an upline is kinda like your creative support person who helps you with your Stampin' Up! creations and your business. If you've been thinking about becoming a Stampin' Up! demonstrator then I'd LOVE to be your upline.....there's no pressure to do workshops, parties or classes. You can be as involved as you want to be...Stampin' Up! is very much a 'no pressure' company. Just call me or email me if you want to chat about the possibilities. :)

....oh and don't forget the December Frenzy and Summer Mini launches that happened a few days ago...."Give A Gift" on page 8 of the Summer Mini catalogue would be perfect watercolouring project for Christmas....and "Every Moment" on page 72 of the IB & C is on special for only $19.17....another great set for watercolouring.

Bye!